A New Beginning
by Jamais vu
Summary: Okay so this was under Blood And Chocolate but I moved it to the Xover section...still the same though. After escaping to Forks, Vivian and Aiden find that maybe Forks wasn't such a good idea after all... AxV, VxJ R&R, please!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE:

Vivian. She watched his eyes soften as he said her name. His beautiful cornflower-blue eyes searched hers, and she tried not to look away.

"Hey," he whispered, his lips pulling into a gentle smile. "Everything's gonna be alright."

Dear Aiden. Mistaking her silences for worry. Just for him, she nodded. Aiden gave her another smile, and resumed his drawing. Vivian stared. His skill had painted a beautiful picture. It always did. But the picture unsettled her. It disturbed her. It practically screamed at her to rip it up into tiny little pieces. She stared.

Flames devouring an old building...lithe wolf bodies dancing through the hungry fire, writhing in complicated patterns. But their faces told a different story. Vivian could hear the howls of agony, filling the night air. Screams. Puncturing the sky... and the awful, cloying smell of burning flesh...

"Vivian! VIVIAN!"

Her eyes flew open, to find Aiden's anxious face. She relaxed. Aiden released his grip on her wrists. Vivian buried her face in his chest, letting the tears fall. Aiden held her tight, not knowing how else to comfort her.

"I'll throw it away, if you like..." Aiden offered finally. Vivian breathed in his scent. Not the cologne. His natural smell, the one that made him unique. It was...delicious. There was no other word for it. If smells had colours, his would be golden. Vivian took a deep breath and shook her head.

"No. It's beautiful," she whispered. It was the truth.

"But it disturbs you," Aiden whispered back. Vivian remained silent. Aiden pulled back to stare at her, as if expecting to find an answer there. Vivian quickly looked away.

"You're staring."

She felt Aiden drop his gaze.

"Oh. Sorry."

He stepped back.

"Um...I'm...going to get a cuppa. Want one?"

Vivian nodded. Aiden hesitated for a moment, and then he was gone. Vivian sighed, pulling her sweater tighter around her body. She remembered the fire. She remembered the smoke. She remembered the painful cries. She remembered him. His fury. His snarls. The rage in his beautiful green eyes, uncannily like her own. She bit her lip. Heck, she had loved Rafe too! Maybe not in the way he did, and definitely not like she loved Aiden, but it _was_ love. He was her cousin, after all. But that didn't mean he could do no wrong. What happened...wasn't Aiden's fault. Not...not really. Aiden was...only trying to defend himself...

"Vivian..."

Vivian whipped around, startled. Aiden stood there, with two steaming cups of coffee. His face darkened, and he set the cups down. Pulling Vivian closer to him, he whipped out a handkerchief and started dabbing at the blood, while tilting her chin upwards with the other. When he was done, he pocketed the handkerchief, and drew her into yet another embrace. He hugged her tight, wanting to know what he could do to help.

"Please tell me what's wrong," he begged.

Vivian closed her eyes. She thought of Gabriel. She thought of Rafe. She thought of Astrid, and of the pack. She thought of Aiden, and his smile. The look on his face, when he touched her, or kissed her. She thought of how much he meant to her. And she thought of the thing inside her...

"Nothing's wrong," Vivian mumbled, wishing to hold him forever and ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick Astley was playing

**CHAPTER TWO:**

Rick Astley was playing. Aiden glanced upwards. Didn't he hear this song before? Aiden let the music run through his head. Oh. This was the "together forever" one. The one he had heard before was the "never gonna let you down" song. Aiden rolled his eyes. They all sounded the same to him, anyway. He glanced surreptitiously at Vivian. She had changed since the fire. Somehow. Aiden was puzzled. He couldn't figure her out. It was like she had suddenly…cut him off. Like she was keeping a secret. Like she was hiding something from him. Or shielding _him_ from something. He sighed.

"Is anything wrong?" came Vivian's immediate, and as Aiden suspected, reflex response.

"No, everything's fine," Aiden replied, smiling gently.

"Oh. Okay," Vivian said vaguely, resuming her staring at nothing in particular. Aiden studied her intently. Vivian could sniff out a lie a _mile away._ What was going on?!

Vivian had apparently felt the weight of his stare, because she turned to him, eyes downcast. She hesitated. Aiden blinked. Vivian _never_ hesitated.

"I know… you're wondering why I-"

"Train approaching station." A clipped female voice issued somewhere above their heads.

An awkward silence ensued.

"Yes?" Aiden prompted.

Vivian took a deep breath. "Why I-"

The train whooshed past, cutting off Vivian's sentence a second time. Aiden bent down to retrieve their luggage. Vivian offered her help, but Aiden shook his head and smiled.

"I can manage it. Get us a seat first," he told her, inclining his head towards the empty train. Vivian hesitated for a moment, then nodded her consent and stepped onto the train.

Aiden was left alone with his thoughts and the luggage on the platform. He heaved the luggage onto the steps of the train. Where was the bloody porter?

The bag dropped onto his foot, and he cursed, falling to the ground and holding his injured foot. After another minute or so of cursing, he stood up painfully and carefully hobbled over to the rest of the luggage.

As he angrily hurled the bags one by one onto the train, his mind wandered back to the Vivian. The expression on her face when she wanted to tell him whatever it was… it was heartbreaking. He'd never seen her so vulnerable. He hoped it was nothing bad. He scoffed, laughing at his own stupidity. Of course it would be something bad. Her expression had almost been like the one she had when he was about to be hunted by her pack. He heaved the last heavy bag onto the train and climbed in. He looked at the pile of bags. They had taken everything they had. Damn the porter, he thought. I'll just leave it here.

He crossed over slowly to where Vivian was sitting. As usual, by the window. He flopped himself down on the seat next to her. He didn't mind her taking the window seat. Not really, anyway. She turned her gorgeous green eyes onto him. Oh God, he thought with a jolt. She had seen everything. Her face broke out into a smile, followed by a lilting laugh. Aiden fought hard to suppress his own, and glared at her instead.

"It's not funny," he pointed out, rather childlike. Vivian laughed harder.

"Really."

Tears were beginning to roll down her cheeks now. Aiden blushed. She looked beautiful even in this state.

"I'm sorry," Vivian managed to gasp out at length. "It's just that (gasp) you looked so (gasp) unbelievably (gasp) cute."

Aiden looked pointedly away, using all his willpower just to ignore her.

Maybe she hasn't changed, he thought hopefully. Maybe I'm just overreacting. He glanced at Vivian, who was trying (and failing) to stop laughing. He allowed a small smile to pierce through his composure. It sure seemed like it.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**:

"Where to?"

"How about Spain?"

"Too far."

Aiden yawned. He still wasn't completely awake yet. It was nine in the morning. He rubbed the back of his neck, where it ached. The train wasn't exactly the ideal place for a nap.

"Okay, you suggest something, then," Aiden replied. It wasn't snappish. Merely tired.

"Singapore?"

"I think that's further away than Spain."

"I'm not known for my Geography marks," Vivian reminded him, laughing. Aiden smiled sleepily. He loved the sound. "But I think it'd be nice if we… go far enough for the pack not to find us. But not too far."

Aiden nodded. It made sense. He considered the options available.

"How about Forks?"

"Where?"

"Washington. Small place, very cosy. Not much sun, but hey. It's nice and secluded."

Vivian smiled her appreciation. "How do you know about this place?"

"Ah. I went there once, when I was about seven."

Vivian hid a smile as she pictured a seven year old Aiden jumping in puddles wearing wellies.

"What time's the flight?"

Aiden consulted the board. "One."

"We could have lunch after we check in our luggage."

Aiden leaned in, his face inches from Vivian's. She closed her eyes, inhaling his tantalizing scent.

"I think…" Aiden whispered, "That would be a lovely idea."

Vivian opened her eyes dreamily and whispered back.

"Tickets, darling. We need tickets."

Aiden chuckled and straightened.

As they approached the counter, the girl manning it looked up from her magazine. She caught Aiden's eye and a coy smile spread slowly across her face. She stood up slowly.

"Why, hello there," she purred at Aiden. Vivian raised her eyebrows. Were ticket girls allowed to flirt? She eyed her up and down. She was clearly one of _those_ girls. The type who, without their makeup, were merely plain janes. Her skirt was too short, her nails were a glossy pink, and she had WAY too much lipstick. Vivian grinned. The girl was no match for _her. _On her vest was pinned a name tag, which read BETSIE!

"Which flight would you like?" BETSIE! slimed at Aiden.

"Forks, please. Two tickets."

"Two?"

BETSIE! suddenly noticed Vivian, who smiled sweetly at her. BETSIE! visibly…drooped.

"One o'clock flight?" she asked dully.

"Yes, thank you," Aiden said cheerily, clearly oblivious to what had just happened. BETSIE! printed out the tickets and handed it to Aiden. He took it with a smile.

"Thank you very much!" Aiden said, and turned to go. Vivian hesitated. BETSIE! probably didn't get any guy's attention. Poor girl. She leaned across the desk.

"Lose the lipstick," she whispered. "And don't polish your nails. You'd probably look better then."

BETSIE! gave her a dismal smile and returned to her magazine. Vivian shrugged and followed Aiden.

"What was that all about?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Oh, nothing. Just cheering up a broken heart," Vivian smiled confidentially, linking her arm through Aiden's.

He stared blankly back at her.

She laughed and kissed him.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

"Well. Here we are," said Aiden cheerfully.

The plane had been small.

The airport had been small.

The car had been small.

The woods weren't.

Vivian stared, entranced. She loved the way the golden rays of sunlight pierced through the trees. It was so…magical. Just like her. She pictured herself running, leaping in between those trees, and shivered with delight. Aiden didn't have such keen senses as she did, so she was surprised when he asked her if she was alright.

"Perfect," she answered, touching his cheek with her fingertips. He smiled lazily.

"These people are so lucky," he murmured, eyes half-closed. "With the woods so close."

"Mmhmmm. Extremely lu-"

A sudden bang startled them both, and they sprang apart, Vivian instinctively pulling Aiden behind her protectively. She just managed to bite back a growl.

A young woman had just emerged from the house, letting the front door slam shut behind her. That was the source of the bang. The woman in question was clad in faded jeans and a parka over a black T-shirt.

"Oh, sorry 'bout the shock," she apologized. Vivian nodded, relaxing. The girl was not gorgeous, not plain, somewhere in between. But there was a sort of clumsy awkwardness about her that was strangely endearing. She kept her head down as she walked towards what looked like a monster Jeep. Her sneakers squeaked.

"That's alright," Vivian heard Aiden reply from behind her. The girl paused, looked up to give them a small smile, and then climbed into her vehicle. Awkwardly. Her wallet fell out of her jeans pocket without her realizing it. Before Vivian could say anything, Aiden had walked forwards and bent to pick the object up. He returned it to her with a friendly smile. Up on her perch, the girl smiled uncertainly back, after a quick glance at Vivian, who watched the scene with appraising eyes. She took the wallet from Aiden's fingers gingerly, as if it were something dangerous. She mumbled a quick "thank you" and waited to see if he'd go away. He didn't.

"I'm Aiden, by the way," he added. "And that's Vivian."

The girl flicked another glance at the beautiful Vivian.

"Bella," she mumbled.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," Aiden said warmly.

Bella nodded.

"Well," he continued. He patted the side of the Chevy. "See you around."

Bella nodded again. Aiden stepped back. Bella pulled her door closed, and shifted the gear into Drive. She left Aiden and Vivian standing on her yard.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

Bella didn't know why the boy called Aiden had caught her so off-guard. It was probably because he'd been so friendly, without any other intentions. Besides, he didn't lookbad…

_Nonsense, _a part of her chided herself. _It's just that he's new, is all. Besides, you love Edward, remember?_

She almost laughed out loud. As if she needed reminding! _Ah, but maybe _he _is the one who needs reminding, _a wicked voice whispered in her head. She pounded the steering wheel. _No more negative thinking! _she told herself. Spotting an empty lot, she pulled into the students' parking area. The school was quiet – or as quiet as schools could get. As she hopped out of the vehicle, she was already building up a list of excuses in her head. _Sorry, sir, _she imagined herself saying. _But I just joined a new religion where you have to say five-hour morning prayers. Starting at dawn. _

She wrinkled her nose and made her way to the classroom block.

"Bella?"

She turned, and her heart gave a funny little jolt. Edward was three paces behind her. When she turned towards his voice, a fleeting look of relief passed swiftly across his face. Then he was there, enveloping her in his arms.

"You had me worried," he choked out. A bolt of pain pierced Bella's heart. Against her cheek, Edward's chest felt cold, even through the fabric. "I wanted to look for you, but Carlisle made me promise to stay here. Said there was nothing to worry about, because Alice knew you were alright."

"There _is _nothing to worry about," she murmured. Bella felt Edward's arms tighten around her, then he pulled back to look at her.

"Bella," he said with a voice as hard as granite. "Victoria is on the loose. She is thirsty for blood. For revenge." He paused.

"For you."

"I know," Bella interjected. "But it's been a year and a half since we last heard of her…"

Edward knew what Bella was implying right away. He gripped her shoulders gently but firmly.

"Bella, listen to me. Victoria is a _hunter. _ She does not give up. "Give up" is probably not even in her vocabulary."

"I understand, but why can't you just relax -"

"Because she wants to kill you!"

Bella flinched.

Regretting raising his voice, Edward closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he seemed calmer somewhat.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you," he told Bella.

He stepped back.

"I'll see you after school."

And with that, he turned and walked back to his Volvo. It was a while before Bella managed to move towards the classrooms again.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX:**

Vivian thought the area around the Bella girl's house smelled slightly funny. Rather…alien. It was unfamiliar, yet Vivian knew it meant trouble, whatever it meant. And there was also…a different scent, sort of familiar. Sort of not. It reminded her of the pack, but it wasn't _loup-garou_. At least, not entirely. That scent was more faded than the alien one. The alien one smelt recent. Vivian guessed it was about a day old.

She glanced at her surroundings, marking exits (or in this case, exit), routes, corners. Predator-prey instinct. The school wasn't very big. It didn't even _look_ like a school. The red-haired woman at the counter smiled at her. Vivian gave her a cursory smile back. _What's with people here and smiling? _She wondered. _Since we came here, Aiden and I have been smiled at six times. _Aiden emerged from the Principal's office with a grin and a letter. He gave her a thumbs-up, and she returned it with a genuine smile. She gestured towards the door, and Aiden nodded. Vivian stepped out of the office and began walking to the car.

"Hey, um, Vivian, right?"

The girl called Bella was standing somewhere to her right. Vivian nodded.

"And you're Bella."

Bella nodded as well. Vivian felt like they were a couple of bobble-heads. Vivian smiled genially. Bella looked surprised. They always were, when she smiled like that.

"How's school?" she asked. Bella shrugged.

"It's okay, I guess. I mean, it's school."

Vivian laughed. Bella grinned. It was hard not to.

"So what're you guys doing in Forks?"

"Oh, you know," Vivian answered vaguely. "It's quiet."

"Oh. You like it?"

Vivian bit her lip and gave a non-committal shrug.

"No need to be diplomatic," Bella grinned again. Vivian laughed.

"Well, I haven't seen all of it, so I can't say."

Aiden appeared at Vivian's side.

"Oh, hello, Bella."

"Hi."

"Ready to go?" he asked Vivian. She nodded.

"Bye, Bella," said Vivian.

"Bye. See you around."

Aiden raised a hand in farewell and Bella waved back. As they were approaching the car, Bella thought of something.

"Hey, wait up!"

They turned and waited for Bella to run up to them.

"Uh, you know, if you need a place to stay, we have space. I mean, if you don't mind sharing a bedroom…"

Aiden and Vivian looked at each other. Aiden laughed nervously.

"Um…"

"Could you give us a minute?" Vivian stepped in. Bella nodded, and Vivian drew Aiden aside.

"She's nice, and we don't have a place to stay," she pointed out, before Aiden could say anything. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, but we don't know her. What if she's a raging psychopath or something? And what about her folks? They'll be sure to kick up a fuss."

"But –"

"Besides, we haven't got that much."

Vivian blinked.

"Then where we going to sleep tonight?"

Aiden grinned sheepishly. "I was…getting there."

A smile touched her lips.

"Okay, look. Even if she _was_ a raging psychopath, I could still beat her hands-down. Secondly, if her folks object, we can always look somewhere else. No harm done," she finished triumphantly.

Aiden ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. The battle was won.

"Okay," he agreed, turning to Bella. "We'll take it."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

"Absolutely not!"

Bella was taken aback.

"What? Why?"

"They – you – "

For once, Edward was at a loss for words. He ran a hand distractedly through his bronze-coloured hair.

"Bella, you don't even know them, They could be…raging psychopaths or something!"

Bella rolled her eyes and stared defiantly out the window.

"Charlie already agreed," she mumbled sullenly.

"Bella, this is ridiculous."

In his state of unrest, the speed of the Chevy climbed steadily. Bella gripped the edge of her tightly. She remained silent.

"Let me meet them," Edward said suddenly. Startled, Bella looked at him. His eyes were on the road, but she knew he wasn't really looking.

"When?"

"Tomorrow, for dinner."

Edward was relaxing slightly, now that things were more under control. Bella pondered this.

"Where?" she asked finally.

"My house," Edward answered, and pulled into Bella's driveway. Bella stared at him in shock.

"Trust me on this, alright?" Edward asked quietly, suddenly extremely interested in his fingernails.

"Fine," Bella sighed. In one swift motion, Edward turned the engine off.

"Do you want me to come tonight?" he asked Bella, his butterscotch eyes careful. Bella hesitated, biting her lip.

"Aiden…and Vivian…"

Edward nodded seriously, and got down from the Chevy. Bella unbuckled and followed suit. Before she could say anything else, however, the vampire stepped back.

"Goodbye, Bella," he said softly, his eyes expressing what his words did not. Then he vanished into the darkness.

"Thank you for the dinner," said Aiden, smiling politely. Beside him, Vivian wiped he mouth clean.

"It was very nice," she agreed. Bella returned their words with a quiet "thank you", and resumed spearing her broccoli. Charlie glanced at her.

"Uh, Bella, you seem a little…distracted."

Bella jerked upwards, startled. It wasn't like Charlie to be so…concerned. She glanced at the couple beside her. Aiden was busy with his pasta, and Vivian, having finished hers, was sharing it with him. She shifted her gaze back to her father. The expression on his face appeared to be a trifle worried.

"It's not that Cullen again, is it?" Charlie's face grew grim. Bella hurriedly shook her head.

"No, everything's fine, Ch – Dad." Bella gave him a (falsely) cheerful smile. Charlie must have seen through her, because he let the matter drop, but didn't seem convinced. Turning back to his meal, Charlie mumbled something about "crazy teenagers". Bella smiled, scooping another spoonful of food into her mouth.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hello. (: I know this is kind of overdue, but....haha. Thanks for reading this and putting up with my obvious plot holes. Oh, and the characters are totally not mine. (Like, duh.) Sorry if my story doesn't quite match up sometimes. And if you've been waiting long for updates, I'm REALLY sorry! I'll post more often! –Jamais Vu**

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

Someone was knocking at the door. Groaning, Aiden lifted himself up off the floor. He stumbled towards the door, resting against it as spots danced before his eyes and his head throbbed. Then it passed, and Aiden opened the door just wide enough for him to address the person standing outside properly. It was Bella.

"Good morning," he greeted her, his voice still husky with sleep. Bella blushed. Aiden was wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.

"Morning," she returned. "Uh...I brought breakfast."

Bella was carrying a tray laden with two glasses of orange juice, two plates of scrambled eggs with bacon, and two sets of cutlery.

"Oh. Thank you," Aiden replied, surprised. He took the tray and brought it into the room, setting it down on the desk by the window. Bella peered in, curious. Vivian was still asleep on the bed – fully clothed. Bella felt a sort of relief wash over her; Aiden slept in a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Um, you'd better get ready soon. School's about to start."

Aiden smiled. "I'll wait till Vivian wakes. I've got until ten to get there."

Bella nodded. She hesitated, then gave him a small wave. He waved back, and she left.

Aiden crossed the room to close the door behind her. He then quietly went over to Vivian, and sat down beside her. His lips curved gently upwards as he watched her sleep. Unable to resist, he reached out and smoothed her hair from her forehead. The gentle motion stirred Vivian from her sleep. Her eyes, blurry with sleep, focused on Aiden's features. She smiled drowsily.

"Hello," she mumbled. Aiden bent down to kiss her on her forehead.

"Hello," he whispered back.

"What time is it?"

"Early."

Vivian could hear the smile in his voice.

"What time do you have to leave?"

"Not just yet."

They both fell silent, Aiden just watching her, and Vivian just resting.

"How was your run?" Aiden asked at length.

"Lovely," Vivian answered, smiling at the memory. She stretched luxuriously. "Just like home."

They fell silent again.

"I think I'll explore more of Forks today," said Vivian casually, quelling Aiden's worries. He had the feeling that she was saying it just for him. His heart suddenly swelled with that thought, and he bent to kiss her again.

"I love you, Vivian Gandillon."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello! (: Two chapters in one day – Phew! It almost killed me, haha! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter – it's the longest I've written so far. Once again, I apologise if anything doesn't make much sense. I'm still learning. (: Oh, and let's pretend Aiden managed to look up the profiles of his students.**

**CHAPTER NINE: **

Vivian was following her nose. She had caught the scent of the _loup-garou_-like scent while leaping through the woods the night before, and now it was much stronger, and more recent. She had singled out about five or six of them, and her curiosity was piqued. She bent down to lace up the hiking boots she had gotten form that camping store – the one where the Newton boy couldn't take his eyes off her. Vivian stood up, and brushed the hair back from her face. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, and inhaled deeply. Her eyes flashed golden, then returned to their normal green. She could feel the faint stirrings of the wolf deep inside her, and she shuddered. It was getting close to a full moon.

Vivian followed the scent along a road, where amazingly beautiful, dense green forests lined the edges. Vivian promised herself that she'd take a run through them some other time. She stopped to admire the wide river that snaked beneath her. It felt so much like home that her heart ached. The scent led her to a pretty beach, then through some woods. The trees felt ominous and forbidding, as she climbed over roots and ducked under low-hanging branches. Vivian stopped in her tracks, uneasy. Her surroundings were silent. No bird calls. No flapping of wings. No scurrying of little feet. No insect sounds. Even the trees seemed to be holding their breath. Watching, waiting. The leaves rustled somewhere to Vivian's right. Vivian stiffened, alert. She tried to measure her breathing.

Silence.

Vivian closed her eyes, to open up her other senses even more. After a span of a few heartbeats, Vivian opened her eyes again and started to run.

*

The bell rang. Aiden watched as his students trooped into class, chattering among themselves. They did not notice him, and he smiled to himself. Spending time with Vivian had its benefits. Only one boy seemed to notice him – indeed, as soon as the bronze-haired teen – Edward, most probably – had set foot inside the classroom, he had noticed Aiden quietly sitting at the back. A small frown had creased the Edward's features, but was swiftly replaced with curiosity. Aiden watched as the boy bent to whisper something in his companion's – Aiden realised with a sudden recognition that it was Bella – ear. Bella jerked upright, startled, then relaxed when she saw him. Aiden put a finger to his lips, and Bella smiled and nodded. Aiden waited until the class was filled, and conversations gave way to puzzled mutters before he detached himself from the shadows.

"Observance," he began, walking to the front. He hid a grin when he saw the class jump in their seats and whirl around. "Is one of the most important factors in art."

He stopped in front of the teacher's desk. "Looks like we all failed that one."

It was accompanied by a warm, friendly smile. The students found themselves grinning back. It was hard not to like the charming, handsome young man.

"So. Does anyone know why nobody noticed me?"

"Because we weren't observant."

The class laughed. Aiden chuckled.

"Very funny, Mr Newton, but no. Does anyone else know why?"

"Because we weren't actually looking," Bella blurted out. Everyone turned to look at her. Bella blushed. Aiden smiled.

"Thank you, Bella. You are absolutely right. You guys were not looking. You didn't really want to see me. You didn't really care. You shut the world off."

Here Aiden paused in his pacing and looked at each of his students in the eye. Only the bronze-haired boy held his gaze.

"Or should I say, rather, you shut yourselves in."

Aiden turned and gathered up a few scrolls of drawing paper, and handed them out to the class. As they passed the scrolls around, a few of them gasped in awe. Mike Newton let out a low whistle. One of the scrolls reached Bella, and her eyes widened. The picture was exquisitely drawn, the lines, shading and picture painstakingly hand-drawn.

"Pretty," Edward murmured dismissively beside her. Bella ignored his lack of enthusiasm and lightly ran a finger over the paper, as if trying to somehow touch real fur and flesh. The picture was that of two snarling wolves, crouching, ready to attack. The artist had skilfully drawn the tension in the muscles beneath the wolves' bristling fur. Bella could almost hear the guttural growls issuing from their throats. Bella found herself wondering if Jacob would approve of it...

"...did you draw these?"

Bella tore her attention away from the picture and looked up. Someone had asked Aiden the question. He smiled.

"Yes, I did."

More whistles, gasps, and a general buzzing of amazement.

"Are you going to teach us how to draw like this?" Jessica asked. Bella could see her eyes locked onto Aiden, who remained blissfully unaware.

"What, and earn myself competition?" answered Aiden. The class laughed again. It was easy to like him. "No, I'll be teaching you techniques." Groans issued from the students, and Aiden smiled. "Sorry, school rules."

"So. Serious stuff. I'd like you to tell me what you think the drawing means. Describe it first, then voice your opinion on it. Jessica?"

A smug look appeared on her face as she answered.

"Well, the picture I saw was about this girl, surrounded by wolves. But it wasn't a threatening sort of surrounded; it was kind of like the girl was part of the pack. She looked like she belonged there, but there was a sort of sadness...and longing in her face. As if she had lost something that meant the world to her."

Bella suddenly felt cold, and only heard Aiden thanking Jessica as if from a great distance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward stiffen, his hands tightening into fists.

"We don't have to listen to this, Bella," Edward told her, voice strained. Bella turned her head towards him to stare.

"What?"

Edward closed his eyes. "Pretend to feel ill."

"What? Why?"

"Edward?" Aiden asked, his voice amused and slightly curious. Edward opened his eyes, a dark gold.

"Two wolves, ready for the kill."

Aiden seemed amused by his answer. "And?"

"I wonder why," Edward replied coolly. Aiden's eyebrows shot up. "Is the imminent fight to the death? And if so, would it mean that it's a fight for the position of the Alpha? Or a fight to defend territory?"

Aiden stared curiously at him. "Interesting observation."

He turned to the class. "Now, I will be handing out more drawings. And I want you to copy them."

More groans from the class. Aiden laughed.

"It's to help gage what level of artistry you're at," he explained. More groans. Aiden chuckled and shook his head.

Bella took hers with curiosity. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was relatively easy – a boy and a girl. They each had suitcases, with the boy carrying the bulk of it. There was also a lamppost and bench. She was about to start when, abruptly, Edward stood up, his chair tumbling over with the force of his shove. The class turned to look. Aiden looked up from his conversation with Mike Newton.

"I do not feel well. May I be excused?" Edward asked tersely, and with a nod from Aiden, left. He certainly looked it – his skin was paler than usual, his lips and cheeks bloodless. Bella wondered what had caused Edward such distress. She noticed the drawing Edward was assigned to – it had re-furled itself into a scroll. She picked it up, unfurled it...and her heart skipped a beat. _Strigoi_, proclaimed the title. The Romanian word for vampire. And although the subjects' faces were half hidden in shadow, they were, unmistakeably, Carlisle and Esme.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, to everyone bothering to read this *laughs* sorry for the long hiatus, haven't been able to get down to this. Oh, and I won't be updating for a few weeks. Exams. :/ So anyway. Ta-dah.**

**CHAPTER TEN:**

Vivian could hear sounds of pursuit behind her, crashing through the undergrowth. It was big, whatever it was. It smelt strongly of rage, of wolf, and of boy. But it wasn't _loup-garou . _The creature was unbelievably fast, and although Vivian herself was of wolf-kind, it was fast catching up to her. She eyed the trees, and made her decision. She ran up the trunk of a tree, grabbed onto a low-hanging branch, and swung herself up. She crouched there in wait. Then she heard a snuffling sound, which stopped after a while. Her breathing even, she scanned her surroundings warily. And then – in a heartbeat, surprisingly silent, it appeared beneath her tree. It was a monstrous russet wolf, bigger than any wolf Vivian had ever seen.

"Impossible," she gasped. The wolf's head jerked up. It went rigid, ears pricking up. It had heard her. Vivian shrank back against the tree, melting into the shadows. The wolf started to circle the tree, sniffing its roots. A breeze gently caressed the tree tops. The wolf stopped. Vivian cursed her luck silently. It had caught her scent...

A howl sounded, not far off. The wolf shifted its attention to the howl. _Where are you?_ It sounded angry. The wolf beneath Vivian's tree lifted its head to howl back. _I am here. I am coming._ And with that, the wolf made its way through the trees.

It was sunset before Vivian got out of her tree, shaken by what she had seen. She managed to stumble back to Charlie and Bella's house, where Aiden was waiting on the porch. At the sight of her, Aiden jumped up.

"Vivian! I – Vivian?"

"I'm okay."

Aiden stared at her. Her clothes were rumpled, and her hair was messy. She looked unusually out of breath.

"What happened?"

The front door opened, and Bella stepped out.

"Hey guys, you ready to go?" she chirped, a little too enthusiastically. Aiden and Vivian glanced at each other.

"Go?"

"Yeah...to dinner?"

They gave her blank looks.

"Oh... I forgot to tell you, didn't I."

They nodded.

"Oh. Well. Sorry about that. Um. Edward invited you guys to dinner at his house. As a sort of...welcoming dinner. Thing."

Bella looked vaguely hopeful, and Vivian wondered if she was hoping for them to accept or decline the invitation. She exchanged glances with Aiden.

"I'm fine with it if you are," Aiden said to her quietly. Vivian nodded.

"Dinner sounds great."

The Cullen house was beautiful, like something out of a storybook. But as soon as Vivian stepped out of the Chevy, the alien smell rushed at her, overwhelming her senses with its acidity. Her hand found Aiden's, and she squeezed it, comforted by his presence. Aiden kissed the top of her head and smiled reassuringly at her. The door was opened by a tall, pale boy with bronze-coloured hair and inhumanly beautiful features. Vivian stiffened. The alien scent rolled off him in great waves. He smelt dangerous.

"Hello, Edward," Aiden greeted the boy genially. The boy inclined his head graciously in reply, a gesture Vivian found unsettlingly old-fashioned, but somehow fitting on this strange boy.

"Good evening, Aiden."

Even his reply sounded like it came right out of Victorian London, complete with "care for a cup of tea?"s and whatnot. Edward shifted his cold gaze to Vivian, and she felt a shiver run through her body, giving her the sense of being x-rayed.

"And this must be...?"

"Vivian."

"Charmed." He smiled crookedly. Vivian held his gaze firmly. To the humans, it looked like they were having a staring contest. Then another pale, beautiful person flung herself at Bella enthusiastically, breaking the awkward silence.

"Hey, Alice," Bella smiled. Alice detached herself from Bella to give Vivian a welcome kiss on the cheek and a warm handshake to Aiden.

"Welcome, Vivian and Aiden! Any friend of Bella's is a friend of ours!" she beamed.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:**

"So, Aiden. I heard you're Edward and Bella's Art teacher?" Carlisle asked.

Aiden, Vivian, Bella and the Cullen family were seated around the dining table.

"Yeah, just transferred in, actually. I was an artist, back where I came from. And speaking of art, is Edward feeling better?"

Vivian glanced up from her soup in time to catch Carlisle flick a glance at his son. Esme, Edward's mum – though she seemed a tad too young, Vivian thought – looked quizzically at Aiden.

"Better?"

Before Aiden could answer, Edward chuckled. "I'm fine, just a slight discomfort earlier in…my system. But I did want to ask you something." Here, he leaned forward with an almost conspiratorial air.

"What do you know of vampires?"

Time seemed to freeze, then Bella's fork clattered onto her plate. Carlisle stared at Edward, with the latter seemingly unaware of the cold gaze. Edward's eyes were trained on Aiden. Alice, and the boy sitting next to her, stirred uncomfortably. Esme was looking on with a clenched jaw. Aiden raised his eyebrows.

"Vampires?"

A frown creased Vivian's features as she took in the sudden change in atmosphere. From a warm and relaxed, it had transformed into anxious and fearful, with even the slightest tinge of anger.

"Why do you ask?" Aiden continued.

"The drawing I received, while you were handing them out, was that of two _strigoi_. Which, I believe, is the Romanian word for vampire," Edward answered casually.

"Ah, yes. That one. Well, I drew it some time ago, actually." Aiden laughed. "I actually dreamt of these two faces, and couldn't dislodge the image from my brain." He shrugged. "Usually when this happens, the only way I can get rid of it is to draw it. Anyway, back to the question. What I know of vampires? Not much, really…"

"They're the ancient enemy of the _loups-garoux_."

All eyes snapped to Vivian, who until then had mostly remained silent. She stared back, unflinching.

"French for werewolves," Edward stated.

"Yes."

"And what do you know about them?"

Vivian held his lightly interested gaze.

"Depends on who's asking."

"So you believe they exist, then?" Bella interjected.

"I know they exist," Vivian corrected her quietly. She felt the weight of Edward's stare, and met his gaze, her eyes daring him to challenge her. Edward looked away.

"Well, I think they'd be uncivilized brutes not worth anybody's time," Alice said lightly, hoping to lessen the tense atmosphere. She smiled at Vivian in a friendly way. Edward watched keenly as Aiden flicked a glance in Vivian's direction, then reached out for her hand underneath the table.

"Why do you think that?" Vivian asked, keeping her voice calm.

"Well, for one thing, the legend goes that they're half man, half beast. Imagine their manners! Or should I say lack of?"

"Alice – " Carlisle began in a warning tone.

"And what of vampires?" Vivian challenged coolly. She registered the second change in atmosphere with a degree of caution. The topic was not exactly a hot favourite with this pale family.

"What about them?" Alice replied, her face a careful blank mask. The boy next to her – Jasper, Vivian suddenly remembered – placed a hand on Alice's shoulder. She seemed to relax somewhat, and Vivian felt the tension in the air ease a little. She suddenly – strangely – wondered if it was Jasper's doing.

"Are they any better?" Vivian replied. "They with their inhuman abilities – they're not so different from the _loups-garoux_. After all, both were descended from the Corvinus bloodline."

Alice opened her mouth to retort, when Carlisle interrupted with a casual, "Edward, would you mind helping me with the dessert? Alice, too, if you don't mind." He smiled graciously at Vivian and Aiden, and then stood. Edward pulled Bella along, and the four of them disappeared into the kitchen.

"What on earth were you thinking, Alice? It is unlike you to rise to such a challenge."

Carlisle sighed before continuing, and rubbed his eyes wearily.

"And Edward…"

"The vampires he drew were you and Esme."

A stunned silence ensued.

"What did you say?"

_The girl was in the vampires' lair. They would get her out of their grasp. It was absolutely essential._

"I don't know how, but he managed to do it."

Carlisle blinked slowly, shock registering on his handsome features.

"And I can't read their minds, either."

"So they're like me?"

The three vampires turned to Bella, who flushed. Edward shook his head.

"No. There's something about the girl…Vivian."

Alice nodded.

"Yes. I could see futures with the boy, but not the girl. There seems to be some sort of shield around her – and it seems it extends to Aiden as well, at least in some aspects."

"But your ability worked well enough on him," Edward pointed out.

"Maybe he is like Bella," Carlisle answered. "You cannot read her mind, but Alice has no trouble seeing a future involving her. Or maybe Vivian is not able to shield him from indirect force – the possibilities are endless."

They fell silent, digesting this information. Then Carlisle stirred and said, "We'll see how this plays out."

Dessert meant bread-and-butter pudding, with a healthy serving of vanilla syrup and vanilla ice cream. Aiden was eating his with relish. He wasn't sure about it, but he felt like he was the only one enjoying the pudding. He could almost feel the tension in the air.

"So, Aiden, Vivian. Where did you come from?"

"Bucharest."

"New Jersey."

Edward and Alice exchanged glances. Aiden laughed.

"Well, I'm from New Jersey, originally. But I went to Bucharest…and I met Vivian."

Bella watched the Romanian beauty smile slightly at his words. He slipped his hand in hers, and Bella quickly looked down, slightly embarrassed.

"Why did you go to Bucharest?" asked Edward.

"Being an artist means I travel around the world, to draw things. Bucharest just happened to be one of my destinations," answered Aiden smoothly.

"So you went to Bucharest, met Vivian, and decided to settle down in Forks?" Carlisle asked casually, conversationally. Bella noticed Vivian's grip tighten around Aiden's hand.

"Well…no. We aren't exactly settling down here. We just…needed to get away. Vivian's family doesn't approve of me."

"What do you know? A real-life Romeo and Juliet," Edward commented.

**A/N: **

**Ha! Underworld reference! And hello again, terribly sorry for the massive delay. To my new readers, thank you for taking an interest in my humble brainchild, and the Review button's just there! To my loyal readers, thank you ever so much for putting up with my tardiness, I love you all (:**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER TWELVE:**

Vivian was sitting in a tree. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable spot, but she knew no one would find her there, and from here, she could keep an eye (or a ear, rather) on Aiden as he conducted class. After all, if someone did suddenly burst in and carry him off, at least she'd be near enough to stop them.

Okay, so maybe she was being a little paranoid. But hey, better safe than sorry, right? And besides, she was bored. And she'd be damned if she was going to go anywhere near those woods for now.

The thought of the woods made her grow cold again. What _was_ it with this place? Enormous _loup-garoux_ and strange, pale people with weird auras – it was enough to make someone want to turn tail and keep running.

She sighed. But Aiden seemed to like it here and nothing bad had actually happened…

"Lofty ambitions?"

Vivian cursed. She'd been too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice the boy approaching her first. _Great_, she thought. _A-Class watchperson, Vivian. And now how are you going to explain yourself?_

"What do you mean, 'lofty ambitions'?" she called down. Peering through the leaves, she realized the boy was Edward.

"You know…loft….a high place….like in a tree? And your apparent ambition to be a bird…?" Edward replied.

The bad joke hung in the air between them as Vivian let the silence stretch. But Edward didn't seem at all uncomfortable; if anything, he looked bored.

"Perhaps that wasn't a very good pun," he said, sounding slightly annoyed. Vivian fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" she asked drily.

"Shouldn't you be earthbound?"

Vivian narrowed her eyes. "I do what I like."

Edward gave her a forced smile. "Well, Ms. Gandillon, not all of us have that luxury. And yes, I am currently late for lessons."

By now, Vivian was pretty irritated. Somehow, this boy had managed to make her feel like a little girl, as if he dwarfed her by many years, instead of she being the older.

"So why are you still here?" she snapped.

But Edward didn't answer. Instead, he just looked at her in his creepy way of his. Vivian nearly growled. If she'd been in _loup-garou_ form, she'd have sent him screaming for his mother. She hated being stared at.

"You're hiding something," Edward said finally, an odd look on his face.

"Everybody has their secrets," Vivian retorted pointedly. She stared back fiercely. Another scowl crept onto Edward's features, but he shook it off as quickly as it had appeared.

"You're living in Bella's house. If you do anything that threatens her safety, you'll find yourself out of Forks in the blink of an eye."

Vivian rolled her eyes now. She didn't care much for threats.

"We'll see."

When she looked back, Edward was gone.

* * *

"Hey, Bella. Have you seen Aiden?"

Vivian was standing at the table Bella was sitting at, ignoring the splutters of Tyler and the stares she was drawing from the rest of the canteen. Bella looked up at the beautifully intimidating girl and shook her head.

"Not since class, I think he had to go to the office for a meeting," she said.

"Well, if you see him, could you tell him I'm waiting by the car?"

Bella nodded. "Sure."

Vivian smiled and turned to leave, ignoring Tyler's choking.

"Hey – Vivian?" Bella called out. Vivian raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Um, you haven't seen Edward by any chance, have you? Only it's not a sun – well, he's supposed to be in school."

Vivian could see the blush spreading from her neck upwards, could nearly smell the blood under the skin. _Yup, definitely a full moon soon_.

To Bella, she answered, "I did see him, earlier this morning. Said he was late for class. Not since then, though."

Bella nodded, a look of worry flashing momentarily on her face.

_Hmmm._

"If you do see him…tell him I'm looking for him, alright?"

Vivian nodded. The poor girl was absolutely reeking of worry – which Vivian thought odd. Somehow, she got the feeling Edward could more than take care of himself.

She pondered the strange behaviour between the pale boy and his girlfriend as she trudged back to the car. Perhaps they'd had a quarrel? But it felt like something more serious…

Vivian was jostled and abruptly spun about, breaking her train of thought. She glared at the boy who'd bumped into her.

"Oh, hey, sorry, didn't see ya there," the boy said, grinning and holding up his hands in an apologetic peace offering. He was tall, and haddark russet skin and brown eyes. The sudden breeze ruffled his short black hair, and Vivian stiffened.

That scent.

The wolf.

Him.

The boy's smile faltered. Vivian started to back away, slowly. He furrowed his brow and took a step in her direction.

"You – "

"Jake?"

The boy turned. "Bella! Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, later, Bells, I gotta…" he trailed off as he turned back to realize that Vivian had already slipped away. Jacob swore under his breath and started to run for his bike.

"I gotta catch you later Bells bye," he threw at her over his shoulder, leaving a bewildered Bella standing there.

"What? Jacob? Jacob!"

She started to chase after him, but Jacob kickstarted the engine and sped away.

* * *

Edward was waiting for her, in her room when she got back from school. She hated it when he did that. Some days, she found it romantic. Other times, like today, it just made her annoyed.

"And where were you?" she demanded, by way of greeting. Edward strode forward and wordlessly pulled her into a tight embrace. Against her will, Bella could feel herself melting in his arms, as she always did.

Edward drew away, still holding her by her arms.

"Bella, you have to get rid of your tenants."

Bella gaped, taken aback by the sudden statement. "What? Why?"

Edward's face hardened. "Just do as I say," he snapped. She drew back a little, hurt.

Edward sighed and released her, rubbing his face wearily. "Look, there's something you need to know about them. I will tell you what I know, but you have to evict them."

Bella folded her arms defiantly. "I'll decide that for myself."

Edward scowled, shaking his head. "Your stubbornness will be your downfall one day, Isabella Swan."

Bella said nothing, only sitting herself down on the bed. She gestured at him to continue.

"Well, you know how everything has a certain scent, correct? And how scents may differ from person to person, but they are, collectively, of one scent?"

Bella nodded to show that she understood.

"Well, there are human scents, and vampires, and werewolves. She has not any of those."

"What? So she's like, an alien or pixie or something?" Bella burst out. Edward smiled, but his smile was strained.

"Not quite. What I meant to say was, her scent isn't particularly any of these groups; it's unfamiliar, nothing I've ever smelt before. At times she smells vaguely of werewolf, sometimes like human. And I swear at times she smells like…" Edward paused, then nearly snarled in annoyance and frustration. "Never mind."

"Like what?" Bella probed. But Edward shook his head.

"The point is, her scent varies, which is something I have not known to happen before. Carlisle says he might have picked up a similar scent before, but he is unsure. Whatever the matter, I do not have a good feeling about your new housemate, and her companion. I know not, yet, if they are dangerous. But I do not want to wait and see."

Bella kept silent and pondered this. Edward was rarely wrong. But even so, she couldn't just turn the couple out onto the streets, going on nothing more than a few suspicions. Could she?

"There is…one other thing."

Bella looked up to see Edward looking troubled. She was momentarily surprised – and then deeply unsettled. If Edward was worried, it was something big.

"This afternoon, Alice had a vision of the past. She has never had that before. There was a man – "

Edward stopped abruptly, tensing.

"What is it?" Bella asked, rising from the bed.

He turned to gaze at her with his golden eyes. "Be right back," he whispered, and was gone. Moments later, Bella heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. She peered out the window. It was Vivian and Aiden. She exited her room and crossed to the landing just as the pair ascended the front steps.

Vivian's keys jingled as she turned the lock and pushed the door open. She stopped suddenly when she saw Bella standing at the top of the stairs. Aiden poked his head around her to see what the matter was. As partially blind to body language as she was, Bella could sense him relax when he caught sight of her.

"Bella, hey. Um, we have something to tell you," he said, shutting the front door behind him. He and Vivian exchanged glances before he carried on.

"Well…you've – you've been very nice to us, letting us into your home and everything, but…" he trailed off and rubbed the nape of his neck, seemingly embarrassed.

"The thing is, Vivian and I have to leave."

The words shocked Bella – she hadn't seen **that** coming.

"Oh. Wow. Why?"

Aiden grimaced, as if he didn't know how to respond. He looked to Vivian for help.

"Look, I don't really want anyone to know anything about this, but we're in trouble. We can't stay here… we don't want anybody else to be involved in our mess," she said.

Bella's eyebrows knitted together as she processed what Vivian just said. She descended the stairs and approached them hesitantly, wanting to reach out to this kindred spirit somehow.

"But…maybe there's some way I can help? You can hide –"

She stopped as the blonde shook her head firmly.

"There's nothing you can do to help, I'm afraid. Hiding isn't an option, because wherever we go, they will find us. All we can do is keep moving, and hope that we cover our tracks well enough so that we can, at least, settle somewhere for a year or two. More, if we're lucky."

Even Bella could hear the resignation in her voice. Aiden reached out for Vivian, drawing her close. Bella felt a pang of sympathy for the couple. She barely knew anything about them, and they were surrounded by an air of mystery and unanswered questions, but she liked them. And she wanted to help. But how?

Oh, yes – Renee.

"Um, I… I think I know where you can go next."

* * *

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Aiden asked quietly as they packed their bags. Vivian bit her lip.

"I don't know. Florida? Maybe." She sighed, frustrated. "I just hate feeling like a criminal. A part of me wonders if I should just face them, get it over with."

Aiden looked at her solemnly. "Babe, I know you're strong, but you can't take on your whole pack."

Vivian shook her head slowly.

"There is a way."

Aiden stood up from where he was throwing his clothes in a duffel bag, and crossed over to her. He turned her gently to face him, and took her hands in his.

"Is this about the hierarchy fight?" he asked, dreading the answer.

She nodded, looking at her feet. Despite the situation, Vivian nearly smiled. Trust Aiden to know her so well that he knew exactly what she meant before she said it.

A ritual fight took place each year, to test the strength and right of the pack leaders. It was very brutal, but it had to be done. It was not only the males who fought for dominance – the females, too, fought for the position at the top.

If Vivian took part, if she won, she could end all their troubles. The pack wouldn't dare challenge the ancient laws dictating the fight. Vivian would be queen bitch, with the power to make them stop chasing her, and more importantly, Aiden. But she would have to stay with the pack.

And be the alpha male's mate.

"You would go back to them?" he asked. He couldn't help being unable to keep the hurt out of his voice, and Vivian winced.

"It's not like that. I just want you to be safe. Running around, being in constant danger…that isn't what I want for you."

Aiden stared at her for a moment, then – quite suddenly – pulled her to him roughly and crushed his mouth to hers. Fire burst within her, setting her heart ablaze. She responded almost involuntarily, matching his ferocity as they delighted in one another. There was an edge of desperation to his kisses, bittersweet and all the more arousing. An ache started to build up inside of her, and she didn't know if she wanted to rip his clothes off… or his skin.

She shuddered at the thought and pulled away, resting her forehead against his chest.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "It's getting close to that time of the month."

"Which one?" Vivian could hear Aiden's grin through his voice, and she laughed and pulled back to swat him. She was facing the bedroom window, which overlooked the driveway.

So when a black motorcycle turned into it, she could see it, very clearly. The laughter died on her lips and she pushed Aiden aside in her haste to take a closer look. He stood there for a moment, bewildered, until he caught sight of what she was staring at. The couple stood stock still in the middle of the room, just watching the broad-shouldered man swing off his bike. He paused for a moment to look up at the house, and though she wasn't in sight, Vivian drew back with a low growl.

"Trouble?" Aiden asked. He'd already drawn his Magnum revolver – a heavy-looking model with a silver barrel and a black stock. Vivian nodded, distraught.

"I think he's come for us."


End file.
